The present invention relates generally to a card transporter and display, and more particularly to a sheet of flexible material which can releasably retain an array of trading card holders.
Trading cards have been in existence for many years. They have been available for sale directly or as premiums associated with other merchandise. Up until recently, trading card collections and collectors have generally been the province of youngsters, and the occasional adult. That has changed. Today, there are serious trading card collectors of all ages who collect premium trading cards. Because of the costs involved, collectors have become more sophisticated and they are likely to purchase trading card holders so that bare hands do not touch trading cards themselves.
The problem with these holders is that they take up a lot of space and it is difficult to show off one""s collection. Also, many collectors travel from trade show to trade show as exhibitors. It takes time to set up and break down a display booth. With existing exhibits, there is always the chance that a trading card may be misplaced and never seen by the public, or worse, lost during the frequent packing and unpacking. Also, there are many people who identify with a particular sport or team. Trading cards may be incidental to them, yet important enough to warrant prominent display in a recreation room, or den, for example.
There is a need for a device which can be used to transport, store, and display trading cards in an attractive and easily discerned manner.
A flexible card transport and display device which enables a plurality of cards to be attached, transported, displayed, and stored. The card transport and display device comprises a sheet of thin, tear-resistant material into which a plurality of card holder retaining elements in the form of slits have been cut. The slits are arranged so as to receive the comers of card holders, flat transparent enclosures used to protect trading cards, thereby releasably retaining the card holders on the sheet. The card transport and display device is lightweight, portable, and foldable into a variety of compact configurations.
One embodiment of the card transport and display is provided with an upper support and an aperture at one end to enable the card transport and display be suspended, thus displaying cards which are releasably attached thereto.
In a second embodiment, the card transport and display does not include the upper support. Thus, when a plurality of cards (i.e., transparent trading card holders with trading cards) are attached to the sheet, a plurality of preferential fold lines are defined. Although the fold lines are orthogonal to the cards, diagonal spacing may be achieved by providing enough space between adjacent cards. Due to the flexible nature of the sheet and the relative widths of the fold lines defined by the cards, the sheet with cards attached may be folded into many configurations.
In yet another embodiment of the invention it may be adapted to display cards in a binder, such as a standard three ring binder. In this embodiment it is preferred that the sheet of thin flexible tear resistant material of the card transport and display device be transparent so that both sides of the cards in their individual holders may be observed. In this embodiment a series of apertures are provided along at least one edge of the card transport and display device. The apertures are spaced to align with the rings of the binder to allow securing of the device thereto. In addition a number of notched or slotted apertures may be provided. In the case of a large sheet of cards, these are placed so that when the card transport and display device is folded for storage within the binder they coincide with the location of the binder rings and may be releasably connected to the rings by pressing the ring through the slot or notch until it engages within the aperture. This may be accomplished without opening the binder rings. A gentle pull then releases the card transport and display device for unfolding for display. If desired, the card transport and display device may be removed from the binder for hanging or other display by opening the rings.
A principal object and advantage of the present invention is to enable a large number of trading cards to be easily stored.
Another object and advantage of the invention is to enable a large number of trading cards to be easily transported.
Another object and advantage of the invention is to enable a large number of trading cards to be easily displayed.
Yet another object and advantage is the provision of a flexible, tear-resistant backing or sheet onto which trading cards are releasably attached.
Another object and advantage of the invention is the formation of preferential fold lines that occur when transparent trading cards holders are attached to the flexible sheet.
Still another object and advantage is to enable selective portions of the sheet and attached trading cards to be easily displayed.
Yet another object and advantage is to provide increased protection from the elements when the sheet and trading cards are bundled-up for transport and storage.
These, and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings.